Deviation
by Aenlic
Summary: A defeated Dragon Master lingers on Cerise to heal his wounds, and a Champion heading for Shirogane decides to drop by on his way. au!mangaverse championshipping complete
1. Encounter

**Deviation**

He had been defeated.

But - _no_, Lugia was… Was…

Lance reached one hand upwards, tried to reach for it -- the phantom pokémon he had searched so long for, just in front of his eyes, summoned by the power of the badges, _no_! He was falling, falling backwards, further and further away from the dream he had realised -- he had been defeated by a boy - no, girl, who had never allowed her pokémon to evolve. The irony of it - that he would be defeated by somebody who shared his thoughts, who shared his power, hit him, moments before the ground did.

His fingers twitched, green eyes fluttered as his chest rose and fell -- gently, slowly, like the waves that crashed onto the sand not far from where he had fallen.

Dragonite flew down and nudged him lightly - his two Dragonairs hovering above it, out of politeness, but even at their distance - Lance could feel the concern radiating off them. Their concern -- and their willingness to go on fighting, even as around him, the flowers blossomed slowly, but surely, their yellowed middles turning to face the sun that signalled the beginning of the day he had never wanted to come and --

"No," he spoke, aloud, his voice shaky and thin. Megavolt -- a Pikachu. Yellow - the girl. Lance smiled weakly, and murmured, "I should have… killed her." Back then, when he had a chance, when she had still been weak, and he had been stronger.

Dragonite roared.

"No," he said again, shaking his head. "The battle is over… We've lost."

The two Dragonairs settled on the ground beside Dragonite as they listened and mewed softly to him.

"I'm fine," Lance said as he pushed himself up, trembling -- but before he could fall face first to the floor, Dragonite caught him with careful paws. Thankfully, Lance used Dragonite as a support, as he turned to face the sea -- where, in the distance, he saw a range of water pokémon fleeing the scene, trainers standing on them, as they all disappeared into the distance.

The ones who had… defeated him…

He had a feeling he would meet them again.

§

Days passed quickly. Days, and he had barely recovered - Aerodactyl searched for food on Cerise Island, and there were no wild pokémon here that he knew of to attack him in the middle of his rest, so…

Dragonite roared - the same sound he had made watching the young trainers leave the island. Lance peered up quickly, and saw a Charizard -- Charizard, that meant… Green?

No.

Instead of Green, it was Red who stepped down from the flying and fire pokémon, a curious look imprinted on the youth's face. "You're… injured," the boy said.

Lance looked away. "Of course," he spat, "after that battle -- who _wouldn't_ be?" Turning back to the trainer, the Dragon Master eyed him curiously, looked him up and down - _ah_. After all that team work with Lorelei, with Bruno, with Agatha, Lance knew. "Your wrists - it's Lorelei's ice, isn't it? Her curse."

Aptly called -- each one of them had a special ability granted to them, even Bruno, the bigger, stronger man who often denied it. Lorelei had the ability to do voodoo with her ice dolls, freezing the humans or pokémon whose dolls she made by marking a small 'x' with her lipstick - or just about anything she had. Bruno had the ability to calm pokémon and make them listen, even if they weren't captured or tame. Agatha could make full use of her ghost and psychic pokémon to control people and a large-scale of pokémon and he, Lance, of the Blackthorn City Dragon Master lineage fame could control Dragon pokémon, make full use of their potential -- and he was a gifted Viridian trainer.

The youth nodded slightly, subconsciously massaging the sides of his wrists as he did so. "But you… You haven't healed?"

"Are you worried for me?" Lance asked, amusement creeping into his voice. "We were enemies, Red. We… still are." Dragonite landed, and flapped his wings, standing in what seemed to be a offensive position. Charizard, on the other hand, did the same, the fire on its tail glowing just a little brighter as it got ready to battle but --

"No," Red said firmly, shaking his head. "It won't do us any good here to battle each other. You're injured, as so am I, and…"

"You're worried," Lance said, tilting his head to the side by a bit - curious. Very curious. "Why?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked.

"Because --" He wanted to go on explaining why, but a sudden bout of nausea caught him off guard, and he fell to the ground, clutching his sides -- and this all happened in front of the enemy. Lance would have laughed, could he laugh, but -- Red was by his side, _holding_ him. He was being held by the enemy, one of the people who had defeated him, who had stopped him from destroying the world and the pathetic human who inhabited it.

The world for pokémon, and pokémon for the world…

Was it… a foolish dream?

"Lance," Red said.

His name. Out of the enemy's mouth -- _without _hatred, _without_ malice.

Just… concern.

He was dreaming -- this couldn't be real. This was the enemy, this was Red, this was…

"Let go… of me," he muttered. "Let go --"

If Red was holding him, then Dragonite… Lance glanced up quickly, but Dragonite and Charizard were both staring at the two of them, neither of them moving as they simply stared, and stood next to each other. Neither of them seemed to be willing to fight the other and -- _why?_ Lance wanted to ask Dragonite as Red slowly pulled him up into a sitting position, _why didn't you attack him_?

"We need to get you off the island," Red said, looking up at Charizard, who nodded and turned to Dragonite. Lance watched as the two pokémon stared into each other's eyes before Dragonite nodded and bowed his head down.

Charizard came forward, and Red - Red stood up and offered his hand, which Lance smacked away quickly. "I don't need your help," he hissed, but Dragonite shook his head and whined almost pitifully.

"Your pokémon wants you to come with us," Red said, a sad look in his eyes. "They… They don't want you to be injured anymore, so… Lance? I know you think of us as enemies, but… Just a day, or even a week. Until you heal. We don't have to be friends, just… Just allies?"

He ignored him. Lance pushed himself up, and though he wobbled, the Dragon Master reached his hands out, preventing Red and Charizard from moving too close to him. Slowly, unsteadily, he reached Dragonite's side and collapsed onto his pokémon, tired and worn out from trying too hard.

_They care_, Dragonite told him.

Lance would have frowned, had he not been too tired.

_They want to help_, the pokémon said again.

"Dragon.. ite…"

_Please… let them help? You… can't die here._

But Lance couldn't answer. The bout of nausea came at him again, and this time -- he just let go.

§

When Lance stirred, he found himself in a unfamiliar room, but he could tell from the smell and the starkness of the room already where he was. Red sat on the chair by the bed, his head on top of his hands, which were placed on the bed -- his eyes closed in what seemed to be a peaceful rest; their pokémon were no where in sight, but Lance relaxed slightly when he saw his pokéballs on the table by the bed.

His movement must have been pretty noisy, for Red shifted backwards and sat upright the next moment, yawning as he stretched his limbs outwards. The youth looked tired, and still half-asleep, but he greeted cheerfully, "Good morning! You look better!"

Lance frowned. He could still feel the influences of a medicine running inside his body, and he dreaded that feel. "It was a injection?"

Red nodded. "They had to. You were _dying_." He said the last word solemnly, even sounding apologetic.

"Hnn," he murmured, turning away. "You're… honest."

"Huh?"

"Most people would try hiding the fact of an injection from an unconscious person," Lance said.

"…I thought you would have wanted to know."

"Thank you," he said, turning back, his voice one of forced politeness. "You're… tired," Lance remarked after he studied Red for a while, "didn't you sleep?"

"I --"

"He stayed up all night, watching you," another said. A nurse entered the room, a Chansey following behind her. "Good morning! How do you feel today?"

"Better," Lance replied instinctively, knowing what hospitals could do if you answered negatively. He hated hospitals. "Stayed up… all night?" Quickly, he threw a look at the youth, who looked away, a small blush reddening both cheeks and ears. Red had stayed awake to watch him sleep, and that fact alone brought a smile, almost a smirk, to Lance's lips. "_Really_," he said simply.

"Really," the nurse replied as she walked over to the other side of the bed and checked the machine. "Well, your heartbeat has steadied, so that's good. And most of your bruises have healed." She placed a palm on her cheek, and sighed. "Teenagers these days, attacking humans with their pokémon! Whatever were they thinking! One more jolt, one more second and we might have lost you yesterday, you poor thing… Too bad the police have nothing against it, or else the very same pokémon and trainers who caused your injury could be locked up and away!" She opened her eyes and smiled. "Lucky for you, young man, your friend and his Charizard bought you here and saved your very life."

Lance opened his mouth and closed it, realising that, one: she didn't know what had really happened, and two: he didn't want her or anyone else to know who he was.

Red giggled, the sheer irony of it humouring him.

The nurse turned to him, smiling. "Young man, you must be glad that your friend has survived."

"I think his pokémon would be even happier," Red said.

_Yes_, Lance thought, eyeing the pokéballs, for he saw no reason why would Red be happy that he had pulled through --

"But I'm glad, too," the trainer added. "If he died, I wouldn't be too sure what I can tell… other people who care."

Lance stiffened and looked away. _Other people who care? _He scoffed inwardly.

"That's so sweet of you," the nurse whispered. "Oh, I must be carrying on with my rounds. Still, for administrative purposes, might I have your name?"

"Lan --" Red started, then covered his mouth. "Uhhh…"

"Wataru," Lance said.

"Wataru," the nurse repeated, tapping a few buttons on the device she retrieved from her pockets. "Wa… ta… ru… Well, Wataru? I am afraid you'll have to stay in the hospital for a while longer, but you'll recover soon." Tapping another few more buttons, she nodded as she headed for the door. "And Satoshi, dear? Do sleep well."

"Satoshi?" Lance echoed, turning to Red with a frown, as the latter scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "_Satoshi_?"

"I couldn't exactly tell her who I was! Everyone knows Red the Pokémon Champion, so I…"

"What kind of name is Satoshi?"

Red bit his lip, looking both defensive and harassed at the same time. "What kind of name is Wataru?" he blurted out.

Lance sat back and shook his head. "I made it up," he said, pushing down the sudden memories that had arose with the name. "Nothing."

"Sorry."

"What for?"

"For bringing that up," Red said. "And whatever it was you didn't want to talk about."

Lance remained silent as he tried to think -- they had been on Cerise Island before this, and about a day had passed so… "Where are we?"

"Cherrygrove City," the other replied easily. "It's not Kanto, and it's far enough for you and me not to be recognised. So that's good, isn't it?"

"Johto," Lance whispered to himself, the fingers on his right hand clenching into a fist as he spoke the name of the area as a whole. Johto -- this was where Blackthorn City was, this was where…

"Yeah, Johto," Red said, nodding.

"I'm thirsty," Lance said suddenly.

Red blinked, and smiled. "Okay, I'll… get a cup of water." He stood up from his seat and moved to the table, where a pitcher and a well-placed cup sat. The Champion lifted the pitcher and --

Lance caught it before it fell. He smirked bemusedly. "I was right. It hasn't healed, has it?" He shifted so his legs swung at the side of the bed, and he faced the trainer, who tried to look away - but the guilty look on the other's eyes were still visible.

Glad that it was a private room he had been placed in, Lance stood up, as Red retreated -- one step taken forward pushed the other back, until he eventually backed the other into the wall. "Lan-ance," Red murmured, looking down purposefully onto the floor. "What are you --"

Lance gripped his wrist and pushed it hard against the wall, making Red cry out in pain. "S-stop --" But his words were cut off as Lance did the same thing to his other arm. Back against the wall, both arms subdued, the Champion gritted his teeth as he tried not to call out.

"Why aren't you screaming?" Lance asked.

Red shook his head, his eyes closed, but one small tear emerged from his closed eyes. "N-no," the youth said, shaking his head. "Wo-won't scream… Lance, s-_stop_…"

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Lance asked, his voice slow and sensual. He knew what he could do, and he was using it all against Red, against _the_ enemy. "Hurts so much, doesn't it?"

"La-Lance…"

He leaned forward, until his lips were by Red's ear. "Scream, little one."

But Red did not scream, no matter how much Lance tightened his grip on both wrists. Red only endued the pain as he cried, as tears fell off his cheeks slowly, whispering his name over and over again.

And when Lance let go, the other fell forward, and into his arms.

The leader of the Elite Four frowned as he studied the smaller trainer, eyes lingering just a second too long on the reddened wrists. In a swift movement, and with quick steps, Lance placed Red on the bed, watching him for a few moments longer before he stared out of the window.

Cherrygrove… He had only been here once before.

_When his parents had still been alive…_

Lance closed his eyes and shoved the bad memories, once again, to the back of his head.

_"Wataru-kun?"_

_Lance glanced up at the smiling lady, smiling in return. "Mom!"_

_"Hai, Wataru-kun!"_

_"You're going to spoil him if you keep calling him by that pet name, kaa-chan," a man said as he entered the room, and sat down quickly. "Yo, Lance, don't you like your real name better?"_

_"But Wataru is a wonderful name too, tou-chan," the lady replied, pouting slightly. "Isn't it, Wataru-kun?"_

_Lance grinned and nodded._

_"See!"_

_"Lance, stop being biased to your mother! I'm hurt," his dad said, but he hadn't really meant it. It was just a joke -- all three of them joking, laughing, having fun as they travelled from Viridian to Blackthorn, Cherrygrove had merely been a stopover…_

"Huh," Lance murmured, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, those unwanted memories. He leaned forward, tapping on Red's wrist lightly, then traced what he could reach with one finger, watching as the bruises disappeared in white light. But he knew, and could feel how they hadn't healed completely. "Sorry I couldn't help more," he said as he sat in the chair, watching the other sleep.

He had healing abilities, but even then, he could only heal so much for humans. Lorelei's curse ran deeper beyond his touch.

_He stayed up all night, watching you…_

The Dragon Master folded his arms as he leaned back into the chair. He had to leave here soon -- should any word get out that he was here… Things would not be good, especially if Clair… He wouldn't think about it.

And as for Red… Lance frowned. Those wrists of his, he had to be out searching for a cure from Lorelei's curse. Especially since it was Charizard -- _Green's_ Charizard -- with him, as his mode of travel.

Red had to be on his way soon too.

_to be continued._


	2. Exposition

**Deviation**

It was near to evening when Red woke, and Lance had been sitting on the couch, eating the pathetic lunch that had been served - the nurse had come in, and upon seeing Red on the bed, giggled as she asked if Satoshi needed lunch as well("I'll bring him the best, don't worry!") -- and before he had a chance to reply, rushed out of the room and came back with a plate that held _normal_ food, placing it on the table, before rushing out, and Lance could still hear her inane giggling inside his head. 

"Uhhh," was the first thing that emerged from the other's mouth. Lance watched as the other blinked and touched his wrists. "They don't hurt so much," the youth said, glancing up at him. "You helped?"

Lance stared straight into brown eyes. "One for one," he said plainly.

"Oh," Red said, as he turned back to staring at his wrists.

"You should get it healed. It's not good for a trainer to have his wrists injured. You won't be able to handle the pokéballs properly."

Red sighed from where he sat. "Yeah, I know."

Lance raised his head curiously. "Oh?" he challenged quietly.

"I was… taking the Association's Gym Leader test," Red explained, "For Viridian City, and…"

"The wrist injuries hindered you."

"Y-yes."

"And what happens to the Gym now?"

"Well, Green's in charge now!" Red grinned as he nodded his head. "He's going to become a good Gym Leader."

"Really?"

Red scowled. "Rea -- What's wrong with you?"

Lance smiled as he sipped from the tea he had specially requested from the nurse -- being charming did help at times, especially in a deary hospital -- he did wish, however, that the nurse would stop her awful giggling. "Nothing."

"You're acting fun --"

"You barely know me, and you call my actions funny."

Lance had to stop himself from cackling at the look that had now crossed Red's face. To be a stranger, and yet to affect Red so much, he found it amusing and entertaining to the point of wanting to laugh aloud -- a feeling he had not felt for a very long time now.

"Well," Red started, but he was cut off just as the door swung open -- Lance cringed.

The nurse was back to terrorize again.

"Oh, good evening, Satoshi! You've just woken up? I brought in food for you - the cook's ever so kind and generous, and her food is absolutely delicious! Just don't feed any to Wataru, alright? He's going to become worse if you feed any of yours -- try to wait a bit until he recovers, alright?" She winked, and Lance swore he heard a confused 'eh?' from Red just as the nurse turned her attention to him. "Wataru, dear -- was the food fine? You're such a sweetie (Red giggled here) to let Satoshi have your bed, oh, if I should have a son like you!"

"He was… tired," Lance said, a brief moment of respite from her words.

"Tired! Oh, he was staying up all night as he watched you sleep -- such wonderful… friendship you two share!"

Red giggled again. Loudly.

"Friend…ship," Lance muttered, burying his face in his palms again, wishing desperately that she would go away, that she would leave the room --

"Nurse? I think La -- Wataru needs to rest, so I…" Lance lifted his head just in time to see Red hop off the bed, a smile on his face as he continued, "I hope you don't mind if you would leave us alon--"

"Of course!" the nurse cried cheerfully as she closed the door, but just before she did, she winked and murmured, "The room's soundproof."

And she was gone, leaving both boys to stare after her.

"Soundproof?" Red repeated, his face clearly one of somebody who didn't quite understand.

Lance didn't know then whether to laugh at the clueless face or to stare after the lady and demand what the hell she was thinking about them -- friendship? _Friendship_? And mentioning the room was soundproof -- _just what the hell did the nurse think they were?_

"Wait, did she… did she think we were… lovers?"

Red was blushing, Lance noticed, and he couldn't help but smirk as he asked, "Why? Interested?"

"No way!" Red yelled, turning away as he crossed his arms. "I'm not interested! Especially not in you!"

"You're flushing," Lance remarked calmly. "And the flushing clearly indicates the opposite of what you're saying, _Shi-chan_."

"S-Shi-chan?" Red stuttered, turning back quickly, his face redder than before. "Lance, stop that! I'm not interested, and I'm not your lo-lover and --"

"You like the Gym Leader, don't you?" Lance asked, grinning. "That… girl. What was her name again?"

"I don't!"

"_Really_," Lance started, his grin turning into a smirk.

Red glared, then he blinked as a strange look developed on his face. "Why, Lance, do you want me to?"

He scoffed. "Hardly."

"Liar!"

"I do not," Lance replied, his voice and tone dignified now that the tables were being turned on him. He had no reason to find the other attractive, no reason to feel love towards the youth -- after all, they had been enemies, and even if Red were a bit good-looking… He scowled at the thought, and quickly ignored it. He didn't need that kind of thinking now. Eyes moving about the room, Lance grinned as his sight settled on the food. "Now, Shi-chan, what say you eat up before the nurse comes back and makes sure you do?"

"You don't have to call me that," Red hissed as he picked the plate up, staring idly at the food. But he did eat, and Lance watched him quietly.

Red was a good trainer, Lance could tell -- the other was especially talented in the field of battling with pokémon. Bruno had… barely been able to defeat him, and it had taken Lorelei and her curse to completely hinder him, but even then, the Pikachu that Red had caught a long time ago was the one element that had led to his -- _their_ -- downfall.

Though, speaking of the Pikachu… where was the mouse anyway? Lance cocked his head to the side, recalling how the lightning pokémon had not been by the trainer's side since the moment they had met on Cerise Island -- after all, Pikachu, Lance knew, was one pokémon that dreaded their pokéballs. "Your Pikachu --"

"Staying with Yellow," Red replied easily. "I thought Pika would like a vacation 'stead of coming with me to the springs. 'sides, Pika gets to stay with Chuchu that way."

"Chuchu?"

The youth nodded inbetween bites - _no_, Lance thought amusedly, _they were more of gobbles than bites_. "Yellow's Pikachu, the one she found in Viridian Forest and nursed back to health. I think Pika's infatuated with Chuchu."

"You think?"

"Well," Red said after swallowing a huge chunk of food, while Lance winced, "Pika seems happier whenever Chuchu's around."

"Your Pikachu is definitely going to find himself a new Master soon," Lance forewarned as he grinned. It felt fun, just lying back and joking around with Red, something he had never been able to do with anyone before. He didn't know why, but with Red, he felt calm, and he just felt… carefree.

Red scowled. "Nuh-uh, Pika's mine, and he knows it."

"Possessive."

"You're the one who suddenly appeared in Vermillion City and stole the Dragonair meant for the contests!"

Lance shrugged. "It seemed sad to just leave her in human hands."

"Human ha--"

"Me aside."

"Ah," Red said.

Lance watched as the younger trainer drained the cup of the water and inched himself until he sat at the edge of the bed, his feet dangling. "You'll be head--"

"Hey, Lance? Is it coincidence that you can control Dragon pokémon like you can, or is it…" The other trailed off, and Lance suppressed the smirk that came to his lips. "I mean, Dragon pokémon are kind of…"

"My grandfather is a Dragon Master. My entire family… we were born to control Dragons. My parents before me, as well." Lance didn't know why he was answering the other's questions, only that he wanted to tell somebody.

"Dragon… Masters," Red echoed. "But, uh, last I thought there was only one family of Dragon Masters. The Gym Leader in Johto - uh, what's her name? I think it was…"

"Clair."

"Oh, yes! Clair of Blackthorn City, wasn't it? She's the… She's… Related to you?"

Lance stayed quiet for a moment, before he gave a small nod. "My cousin, Clair is the Gym Leader of Blackthorn City." There -- he had said it. He had admitted it. He felt oddly lightened, as if his past identity had been a burden…

"Cousin," Red murmured, "but doesn't that mean you used to live in Blackthorn City -- but you're… like Yellow, you…"

"I was born in Viridian." It irked him slightly, how easily the other was asking questions about his past, and how easily he was just answering them, as if they were mere simple questions. But Lance couldn't help it -- that was just _something_ about Red that made him felt as though he ought to be honest…

"Oh." Saying that, the youth swung his legs for one last time, and hopped off the bed. "Say, Lance? You tired?"

He shook his head.

"But you're feeling better?"

Lance nodded, sipping the last few drops of his tea, before he glanced up and saw the relieved smile that hung on Red's face. _Why?_ He kept the questions in.

"That's good! You'll be able to leave the hospital soon, right?" The youth chirped happily as he took one step forward. "Lance --"

"No," he said. "Shi-chan, let's talk --"

"Stop calli--"

"--_about_ you."

Red blinked and Lance could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "About me?"

"Yes," Lance replied. "You're a trainer of Pallet Town, Ninth Annual Pokémon League Champion, a trainer that Bruno acknowledges. You have gained the friendship of the Team Rocket runaway, Eevee, helped Cinnabar Gym Leader Blaine recapture the wild Mewtwo and --"

Red had a odd look on his face when he asked, "Are you a stalker?"

Lance just had to smirk at the creeped out expression that the other held as he explained, "You'd be shocked to learn just how much I can find out, Shi-chan."

"And you found out so much about me --"

"Agatha and Lorelei were very interested in you, and they desperately sought more information about you, in hopes that you could be recruited for our cause. And I just wanted to learn more about you."

"You --"

"Surprised? I am Lance of the Elite Four. Though we might be at a truce here, you, Red, are still my enemy. I will not --"

"You've lost," Red interjected. "Yellow defeated you and used the energy you needed to destroy the world with to heal it instead. You say you want to destroy humans for the pokémon, but -- But, Lance! The pokémon you've worked so hard to protect and to defend, they grow close and attached to their trainers! These pokémon don't want their trainers to die, because they think of humans as partners -- as _friends_!"

"You're wasting your breath," Lance said softly. "I won't change my mind."

"Lance!"

"Still, it doesn't meant I have to carry on chasing a futile goal." Lance ignored the expression on Red's face as he went on, "I do have other things to do." The strange dragon-like pokémon that had taken flight towards the west -- he could find it. Find it and then… And then he would put his abilities as Dragon Master to the test.

"Like visiting your cousin?"

Had he not the dignity, Lance would have shuddered -- but he choked. _Visiting Clair?_ He would rather die first then return to the home town of his family; after all, here he had lost to outsiders, lost to outsiders when, he had, all along, been the strongest. There was no face to spare for him if he returned in defeat. "No, I can't return to Blackthorn."

"Why not? They're your family…" Red perked up. "Besides, your parents, they must be worried sick --"

"My parents," Lance interrupted, his tone heavy, his eyes focused on the tiles on the floor, before he glanced up and looked Red straight in the eye. "My parents are dead. Hardly any concern can be felt from the dead, I believe."

The younger trainer gazed away first. "…sorry. I didn't mean…" His shoulders shook and --

Lance stared._ Was… was Red crying? _He blinked at the sight of falling tears.

"I didn't mean… I didn't mean to…"

The Dragon Master shrugged. "I'm fine. It was a long time ago."

"You must be sad… That they died. If my mother were to die, I… I'm not too sure how badly I'll react… I…"

"Red," Lance called out firmly, "it's fine. Now, shut up and --" He frowned, a sudden though coming back to him as he tried to change the subject. "Your wrist. You said you were heading for a springs? Why then… You may leave now."

Red glanced up quickly, a panicked look on his face. "I can't - _couldn't_ leave you alone here --"

"I _have _recovered."

The trainer coughed. "Still!"

"Or is there…" His eyes glimmered slightly. "Is there a reason you for which you're staying?" Lance demanded, curious as to what had kept the youth by his side. Really, that whole 'he-had-a-crush-on-me' theory seemed plausible, but even then…

"I-I --" Red stuttered, another blush colouring his face. "I was worried!"

"_Was_," Lance echoed, further emphasizing.

"Not enough!"

He had to raise an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yes!"

"Or… are you just keeping an eye on me, just in case I move again?" Lance asked softly, and smiled in the silence that followed. "So, I am right. That you're the watchdog, and I am but your prisoner…"

"N-no," Red started. "It's not --"

"Will you be happy if I said I will not do it again, _watchdog_?" He spat that last word out bitterly -- bitter? Lance had no idea why he would be bitter, but he hated it. Hated it that Red would watch over him as if he was a prisoner -- more than anything, Lance hated - dreaded - being tied down.

Red flinched at his words. "No, I swear -- I swear I wasn't…"

"Liar," Lance muttered. "_Liar_." Why was he so angry that Red had lied, had pretended? Or was he angry because he had read the other wrongly, that he had really thought that Red, a former enemy, had cared?

He hated humans, hated them. Pokémon didn't pretend. Pokémon never did -- they always understood how he felt. His pokémon, Lorelei, Agatha, and sometimes even Bruno. They understood how he felt.

Not Red.

Not Yellow.

Not anyone else.

He clenched his fingers and walked towards the bed - _past the bed_, and out the door. Lance didn't look back as he slammed it in the other's face, ignoring the other's cries and shouts. He felt betrayed. He felt hurt.

He hated him.

Hated Red.

Hated his parents -- his _grandfather_, his _cousin._

And all that he hated, Lance swore, he would leave them all behind.

_to be continued._


	3. Eventual

**Deviation  
**  
The hospital was in a panic. Lance watched as two nurses rushed past him in a hurry, exchanging information about intruders. With narrowed eyes, he watched as they disappeared down a corridor, until the loudhailer tucked away in the corner of the small room crackled into life. "Attention! Attention! Trainers, patients, visitors -- please listen to this announcement carefully. The hospital is currently under attack by intruders, all of which are pokémon thieves! All able trainers with healthy pokémon are asked to move towards the lobby to defend the hospital. Patients are asked to wait quietly until the nurses come to move you to a safer area. I repeat --" 

_Pokémon thieves…_

He scoffed as he turned away and walked down the corridor, ignoring the elevator when he came to it, though Lance lingered a moment longer to watch the dial rise and fall; seventh to first, first to third, third to fourth, fourth down back to one again… There had to be many trainers in the hospital, paying visits to wounded or sick relatives, and all these trainers were willing to fight, to defend…

Red.

A sudden flash struck Lance through his head --

_A pokémon battle consisting of many trainers. The thieves were on one side, and the trainers on another, their back to the elevator, their pokémon out by their side, ready to fight and to defend._

_Red -- Red was there as well, Charizard by his side, the large fire pokémon angered by what it saw._

But Red -- he had a look of…

_The idiot_, Lance thought furiously. _The stupid idiot._

_Red was the Champion, but even against an endless onslaught, there was not much he could do. The enemy's Cloyster had unleashed its hydro pump attack against the defenders, and Charizard had to fly in order to avoid the water -- the other pokémon were swept in the wave, and if they weren't, most of their trainers were._  
_  
Red stood strong in the middle of it all, but even the Champion had to fall._

Lance watched as Red fell to his knees when his ankles gave way, and finally unable to take it any longer, he moved. In a swift second, he ran and jumped out of the building, landing on a well-placed Dragonite -- the very same pokémon who had transmitted all the happenings on the lobby to him.

He nodded quickly, and upon landing, Lance ran up to the automated doors, his presence opening the doors. He waited as the water cleared out of the lobby, and smirked when the confused thieves turned towards him. "Dragonite," he said fiercely, when his eyes landed on the collapsed form of Red, "Twister. Now."

The thieves swept up in a small hurricane created by his pokémon's wings, Lance ran past them, and into the mess of trainers who were looking about for their pokémon. Charizard landed beside him as he picked Red up and off the floor and glanced worriedly into the other's ashen face. "Red," he said, swallowing. No -- the injury… It couldn't kill, could it? "Red," he tried again, but there was no response. "Shi-chan?" he asked.

"…st-stop th-that…"

Lance smiled. The other's voice was weak, but he was alive. He was fine… He gently placed the youth onto the floor, and touched the other's wrists and ankles; Lance watched as the parts of Red's body he touched glowed a slight white and fade into nothing. "Feel better, Shi-chan?" he asked as he straightened.

Red sat for a while more, but he nodded and accepted the outstretched hand that Lance had offered him. "Yeah… Thanks, Lanc --"

"Wataru," Lance said.

Red grinned. "Thank you, Wa-chan."

"It's --" Lance started, but gave up as the loudhailer in the lobby sprung to life and announced that the thieves were defeated, and that everybody within the hospital could stop escaping starting from now. Lance smiled again as he walked out of the lobby, and gently touched Dragonite's snout, the pokémon snuggling against his palm. _Do you want humans to be destroyed, Dragonite?_

The Dragon pokémon gazed quietly at him with beady eyes and then he shook his head.

_No._

§

The nurse was awfully insistent that Satoshi stayed for a while in the hospital, just in case, and she was glad to see that Wataru, the saviour of the hospital, make a choice to stay with his friend. In her annoying tones, she proclaimed them to be the best of friends she had ever seen, and then she had skipped off to check on more patients.

Satoshi had giggled upon her leaving, while Wataru had twitched, though he had not showed it out right.

It was about three days later that both of them were discharged from the hospital, and it was about this time that the paparazzi started to investigate into the saviour of the hospital, and it was only after both Dragonite and Charizard had taken flight from Cherrygrove that Lance heaved a sigh of relief.

"You scared?" Red asked.

Lance scowled, but couldn't deny it. He was, in a way, scared; if Clair were to hear how a trainer with Dragonite stopped the thieves with just one attack from the pokémon, he knew the thoughts that would run through her head, and how she would then move on and proceed to find him. Or who she thought was him, which was him. Instead, he crossed his arms and pointedly asked, "How far is this springs that would miraculously heal your wrists and ankles? We've been in the air for almost two hours now, and it's still nowhere in sight."

The other trainer scratched the back of his head, a awkward look on his face. "I'm not too sure, actually. Green said Charizard would know the way, so I…"

"You trust him."

"Of course I do!"

"Naivety has its limits, Shi-chan."

"Well, _Wa-chan_, he might be my rival, but we were friends long before that! And," the youth added, "we still are."

_Rivals… and friends…_

Lance was silent for the rest of the journey.

§

Charizard and Dragonite landed about half an hour later, near the top of a mountain Lance had never visited before in his life. He had often seen it from a distance, but still… The Dragon Master frowned as he recalled Dragonite to his pokéball, and watched as Red made his way upwards, into the cave and --

He had been worried, in that battle. Worried and stricken that Red would die when the water triggered his old injuries. No matter how he had tried - twice, now - he couldn't bring away the pain that Lorelei had caused it, and it had pained him to admit that.

But _why_?

Why did he care so much for somebody he had vowed to hate? Somebody he had vowed to avoid? Somebody he needed to leave behind.

Red was _not_ a able trainer. Anybody who was injured, old or new, was _not_ able. These much, Lance knew and understood -- but Red had rushed forward to defend the hospital, in spite of the knowledge that he would put himself in danger.

So much alike to Bruno…

There was a small bit in Lance that admired Bruno, and the way the bigger man lived for pokémon, that which was the true essence and ring to the words: pokémon trainer. Bruno had been the first Lance had seen of his kind, and Red had followed not far behind. The strength, the determination, the fighting spirit…

He drank it all in, like a drug he needed.

He had been worried, more than worried -- he had, somehow, in their entire stay at the hospital, started to care for somebody.

Lance stared down at his palms --_ no_. **NO**. He couldn't have… But there was no point in denying the truth he had been trying to hide from himself, the truth Dragonite was trying to help him see on that day when the thieves had come to try and achieve their selfish wants.

He was starting to care for somebody, that he was starting to open his heart to somebody -- Red, Champion of the Ninth Annual Pokémon League Competition…The trainer of the very same pokémon that had caused their downfall, _his _downfall.

The irony, once again, struck a chord in him -- that he was falling in love with the very boy who killed his dreams.

Lance laughed lowly, and he only laughed again when Red turned back and started to walk towards him, a look of concern on his face. He laughed a third time when he realised how blind he had been not to see the signs - why he had been able to joke around with Red, when he had not been able to with anyone else.

But Red…

"Lance?"

He raised his head, and in one quick movement, shoved the other back against the cavern wall. Lance didn't care that Red gasped aloud with the pain that must have ran through his body upon contact with the rough rock as he inclined his head forward and captured the other's lips in a kiss.

Lance could feel how Red surrender quickly to him, almost as if the other wanted - needed - him. Inwardly, he smirked as he broke the kiss off and let his hand wander downwards. The moan that Red gave out only served to make Lance want the other more -- contact. Contact. He snaked his arms around Red's waist, lifting him(Lance frowned here when he realised how light the other was) so that their lips were level, and he stole another kiss from the trainer who gladly let him. After a few seconds, he let the other down without breaking the kiss; Lance purred softly into Red's mouth when the trainer's arms found a place around his shoulders.

And when he finally withdrew, Lance let his smirk show on the outside when he opened his eyes and saw the blush that had once more decorated Red's face. Breathlessly, he whispered, "How long?"

Red, however, shook his head, burying his face into his chest, and Lance sighed, one of pleasure. He tried again. "How long, Shi-chan?"

"Uhhh," the other murmured, incoherent in his words. "Hospital. You were sleeping and…" His voice trailed off and Red lifted his head again. "I like it," he said. "The kiss."

Lance chuckled, barely able to stop himself. "That's good, Shi-chan."

"Red," the youth said, a frown across his face. "Unless that means I can call you Wa-chan?"

"I think," Lance said wisely, "after today, I can call you anything and you can call me anything. Of course," he added silkily, "in private." He moved his arms upward and ruffled the other's hair -- _no_, he thought idly, _not other_. **Lover**.

It felt strange, to use the term on somebody, but Lance supposed he just had to try.

"Waaaaaaa-chan"

"Yes?" Lance asked, looking down, and he blinked when Red came at him and pressed their lips together in a small chaste kiss, before the oth- _his_ lover pulled away.

**_His._**

He rubbed at his lips with the back of his palms and glanced at Red, a silent question written in his eyes.

"You'll wait?" Red asked, smiling shyly as his arms travelled down to hang on Lance's hips. "I'm going to go up there - the springs. You'll wait?"

Resisting the urge to groan and act on his instincts, he answered with another simple kiss. "I'll wait," he replied, a whisper into the other's lips, "forever.

_owari.  
_  
**Notes:** Originally, Deviation had been written to satisfy a friend's need for Championshipping, as one whole long piece of fanfiction -- _17 pages in Arial 10_ -- thereby becoming the longest one-shot I had ever written. Then, lamenting the lack of such a pairing on fanfictiondotnet, I decided to post it up. :) And if you're reading this, you've just finished the entire of **Deviation**, and if you enjoyed it, a sequel should be coming up soon, of which I am in the midst of writing, since the words came out of myself while discussing fiction with a few of my friends: _It can't end there._ Red and Lance have so much more to go before they understand what love is, and how they truly feel towards one another. And the sequel, I fear, might be much longer than Deviation, unless the plot I have in mind speeds up quickly.

Thank you for reading.


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